Method of and apparatus for braiding



Aug. 23, 1927. G. A. SEELEY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BRAIDING Filed Dec. 20. 1924 Geo/ 9a KSQQLZJ Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICEQ GEORGE ALLEN SEELEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG NOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW -YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR BRAIDING.

Application filed December 20, 1924. Serial No. 757,278.

This invention relates to methods of and apparatus for braiding, and more particularly to methods of and apparatus for braid ing a covering for a core.

In one type of apparatus frequently employed for braiding covers for cores the cops or thread supplies are arranged in two or more sets and revolved in opposite directions on a common axis. The threads from one set of cops are deflected and caused to follow a sinuous path, passing in and out around the supplies of the other set. The thread passing around the inner supply has generally to pass over and be supported by two high points, namely, a point on the carrier on which the thread supply is mounted and a point on the cover of the cop or thread supply. In some instances difliculty has been encountered in covering with braid large diameter cores with this type of machine, and particularly cores, such as electric cables', having a non-circular cross section, in that an excessive breakage of, the threads may occur when a certain speed of 2 operation is exceeded. In order to obviate breaking the threads it has been necessary in some cases to greatly reduce the speed of operation,'and thereby diminish the output of each machine.

Objects of the present invention are to provide an improved method of and an improved apparatus for speedily producing a braided article.

In accordance with the general features of the invention these objects are accomplished by advancing the high point closer to the braiding point ahead of the high point which is farther removed from the braiding point. In the type of braiding machine which is represented in the accompanying drawings, this result is accomplished by inclining the inner cops at an angle in their direction of rotation so as to cause the cop cap to start to pass under the thread from the outer supply before the carrier comes into engagement with this thread.

The invention will be more fully pointed out in the accompanying drawings, in which 1 Fig. 1 is an elevation, partially broken away, of a portion of a braiding machine of the rotary type embodying the invention and which is capable of performing the improved method;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of a small portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is still a more detailed view of an inner cop and its associated parts.

It is believed that the improved method may be clearly understood by reference to an apparatus by which it may be accomplished and shown on the accompanying drawings in which like numerals are employed to designate similar members throughout the several views. The numeral 10 refers to a fixed base or standard on which two oppositely rotating heads or turrets 11 and 12 are supported. The fixed base 10 encloses gearing and associated parts which are not shown in detail because the invention does not relate to this part of the braiding mechanism. The lower turret 12 is provided with outer cop supporting members 14 on which are suitably mounted a plurality of cops 15 and a track plate 16 which is provided with slots 17, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The upper turret 11 is provided with a cone-like portion 20 and a carrier driver plate which is not shown in the drawing but which is adapted by suitable means to drive a plurality of inner carriers 21 in the track plate 16. A plurality of spindles 28 are secured to carriers 21 and are adapted to support a plurality of inner cops 25 which are provided with covers 28. A tension regulating device 26 is provided to control the tension of the thread from the inner carrier while a similar member 27 is provided to control the tension of the threads which are led from the outer set of cops. The direction of rotation of the turrets is indicated by arrows, the feathered. arrows indicating the rotational direction of the turret 12 and the other arrows indicating the direction of rotation of the turret 11. The motion of the mechanism is such as to deflect the threads from the outer carriers and lead said threads in a sinuous path alternately above and below the inner carriers. the slots 17 permitting the thread to be led below the inner carriers. This action causes a braiding of the threads at the upper part of the cone. The place where the threads are brought together is generally referred to as the braiding point and in the attached drawings is indicated by the numeral 30. This type of braider is adapted to cover an electrical cable 31 or other core, with a braided covering 32. As shown in Fig. l a thread from the outer carrier must pass over both the inner carrier 21 and the cop cover 28. The points indicated at 35 and 36, respectively, at which the thread from.the outer carrier discontinues to rise on the rounded portion of the carrier and cop cover and begins to drop, are termed. the high points or points of maximum deflection of the thread on its travel to the braiding point.

When a braiding mechanism of the type described. is operated, tension must be applied to the threads in order to operate the machine at high speed. It is an observed fact that when a thread is carried around a central point, such as is done during the braiding operation, the carried end of the thread will be in advance of the other portions of the thread. This condition of the thread is generally referred to as lag (dotted line, Fig. 2) and may be partly overcome by increasing the tension of the thread. In order to overcome the lag, as the speed of the machine is increased, the tension of the thread must be greater; and there being a limit to the strength of the thread, the tension which can be applied is also limited thereby. If the lag of the thread is greater than a predetermined amount, the thread will pass over the high point 35 before it passes over the high point 36, and the thread will be momentarily stopped at the high point 36. This slight diminution in the speed at which the thread travels around the inner carrier may cause this thread to be caught in the'switching mechanism located behind the slots 17, but not shown in the attached drawings. This difficulty may become still greater when a large flat or elliptical cable or other core, such as that shown in Fig. 2, is being covered with braid. In

this case there is not only the normal lag of the thread to interfere with the smooth operation, but on account of the point of application of the thread to the cable being a relatively great distance off the center thereof, this point of application and the two high points are no longer in line.

In a braider of the type shown in the attached drawings, this difliculty can be remedied by advancing the high point 36, and this is accomplished by inclining each of the inner cops in the direction of its rotation as shown particularly in Fig. 3 so that the high point 36 will engage and start to pass under the outer thread before this thread rises upon and in engagement with the high point 35. "Where other classes of braiders of the rotary type are employed, the particular embodiment of the invention may vary but the difficulty of operating such machines at high speeds, particularly when large cable is employed, can be obviated by either advancing the high point 36 or retarding the high point 35. The amount that these points should be changed may vary, but good results are obtained in the type of braider shown in the attached drawings, if the arrangement is such that a line drawn fom the high point 3.3 to the center of the core which is being covered and a l1ne drawn from the high point 35 through the high point 36 form an angle at their intersection of slightly more and means on the inclined members for en.-

gagenient with the strand from the other turret at two elevated positions to effect maximum deflection of the strand, one of the positions of maximum deflection being in advance of the other with respect to the direction of rotation of one. of the turrets.

2. In a braiding machine, a pair of oppositely revolving, concentrically arranged turrets, a plurality of members on each of said turrets for supporting a supply of strands to be applied at a central braiding point, the members on the inner turret being inclined in the direction of rotation thereof and toward the braiding point, and means on the inclined members for engagement with the strand from the other turret at two positions to efl'ectmaximum deflection of the strand, one of said positions of maximum deflection being in advance of the other with respect to the direction of rotation of the inner turret.

3. In a braiding machine, a pair of oppositely revolving, concentrically arranged turrets, a plurality of support members for strand supplies mounted on the outer turret, a plurality of carriers mounted on the inner turret and adapted to deflect strands supplied from the members on the outer turret to a central core, members on the carriers for supporting strand supplies, a strand supply cover oppositely disposed from each carrier, said carriers and covers designed for engagement with the strands supplied from the outer turret to effect the deflection thereof, and means for mounting on the carriers strand supplies and covers therefor so that a straight line passing through the points on a cover and an associated carrier which produce maximum deflection when engaged by the strand from a member on the outer turret during the operation of the machine is substantially tangent to the core.

4(- In a braiding machine, a pair of oppositely revolving, concentrically arranged turrets, a plurality of support members for strand supplies mounted on the outer turret to be applied to a central braiding point, a plurality of carriers mounted on the inner turret and adapted to upwardly deflect strands supplied from the members on the outer turret, members for supporting strand supplies inclined in the direction of rotation thereof and toward the braiding point, and a strand supply cover oppositely disposed from each carrier at the outer extremity of each inclined supporting member, the inclination of the members in the direction of rotation being in accordance with the position of the braiding point.

5. A method of braiding, which consists in simultaneously supplying strands to a central point from a plurality of sets 01 strand supplies arranged concentrically therearound, moving one set of supplies around the central point, causing the individual supplies thereof to pass in and out around the strands being supplied from the individual supplies of the other set, momentarily engaging each individual strand at two positions on its way to the central point to produce maximum deflection of the strand as said strand passes another individual strand, and maintaining one of the positions of maximum deflection in advance of the other during and with respect to the direction of movement of said deflected strand.

6. A method of braiding, a covering for a core which consists in simultaneously supplying strands from a plurality of sets of strand supplies, rotating one set of supplies in one direction around the core to be covered, rotating another set of said supplies in the opposite direction around the core,

strand su plies, causing relative movement between t e strand supplies so as to pa& in I dividual strand supplies from one set in and out around strand supplies from the other set by engaging the individual strand supplies at two high points to produce maximum deflection thereof as said strand passes to the braiding point, one of these points of. maximum deflection being maintained in advance of the other during and with respect to the direction of movement of the deflected strand.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day of December A. D.,'

GEORGE ALLEN SEELEY. 

